Africa

It was 20 years ago, on April 27, Nelson Mandela was elected the first black president of a fully democratic South Africa - formally ending the racist regime known as apartheid (Afrikaans for 'separation'.) One of the symbols of racial segregation was Soweto - a sprawling series of Black townships in southwest Johannesburg. It was a hub of anti-apartheid protests and where Mr. Mandela once lived. VOA's Brian Padden went along on an inconspicuous tour to see what has changed in two decades.

A Visit to Soweto, Decades After Anti-Apartheid Struggle

Published April 24, 2014

It was 20 years ago, on April 27, Nelson Mandela was elected the first black president of a fully democratic South Africa - formally ending the racist regime known as apartheid (Afrikaans for 'separation'.) One of the symbols of racial segregation was Soweto - a sprawling series of Black townships in southwest Johannesburg. It was a hub of anti-apartheid protests and where Mr. Mandela once lived. VOA's Brian Padden went along on an inconspicuous tour to see what has changed in two decades.